PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Garegin Balayan (ranked 70 p4p, 8 weight class) and Ben Turner (ranked 112 p4p, 16 weight class). Balayan comes to the cage accompanied by Troika. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ben Turner was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Balayan
vs
Turner

180 cm
29
168 lbs
20 - 6 - 0

188 cm
34
178 lbs
29 - 17 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Sin City Allstars

Sportivité
OLIMPO

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Garegin Balayan!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 17 - 1, fighting out of New York, Ben Turner!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Gregory Folan and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Turner throws a big shot that misses.
Turner ducks under a wild hook from Balayan.
Turner tries to counter by closing the distance.
Turner stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Balayan.
Balayan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Balayan misses with a lunging right hand
and Turner counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Balayan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Turner looks to land a right hand but Balayan moved out of range.
Turner moves out of range as Balayan strikes.
Balayan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
The fighters circling - Turner throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Turner tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Balayan misses with a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Both fighters circling a little - Balayan finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Turner loads up on a big right hand but Balayan slips the punch.
Balayan throws a head kick but Turner moves out of range.
Turner throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Balayan moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turner misses with a low kick.
Turner lands a right hook to the body.
Balayan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Turner.
Balayan was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Turner shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Turner was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Balayan is looking for a sweep.
Turner working the body and head with strikes.
Turner misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Turner misses with the ground and pound.
Turner working the ground and pound but Balayan is defending the strikes.
Turner in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balayan tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Turner wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Turner throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Balayan is looking for a sweep.
Balayan manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balayan sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Balayan looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Balayan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Turner wants to get back to full guard.
Turner has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Balayan is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan trying to pass the guard but Turner defending well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Turner is looking for a sweep. Balayan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Balayan performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Turner throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Balayan cracks Turner with a good jab.
Turner lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Balayan circles away quickly and effectively.
A telegraphed right hand from Turner misses the target.
A little feinted left hand from Balayan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Balayan defending well as Turner loads up on a big left hand.
Balayan stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Turner checks a leg kick.
Balayan moves to clinch but Turner breaks away
enabling Turner to counter with a crisp jab.
Balayan throws out a loose jab but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Balayan throws a body punch but Turner moves out of range.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Turner.
Balayan looks to throw the jab but Turner is out of range.
Balayan doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Balayan throws a leg kick which misses Turner's front leg but catches the back leg as Turner tries to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Garegin Balayan will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Turner bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Balayan goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Turner takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Balayan moves out of range as Turner strikes.
Balayan takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Balayan blocks a head kick by Turner.
Turner stuns Balayan with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Turner throws a leg kick which misses Balayan's front leg but catches the back leg as Balayan tries to avoid it.
Turner moves out of range of the body kick from Balayan.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Turner.
Turner ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Balayan moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Balayan. That's going to slow Turner down.
Turner jabs Balayan right on the nose. Balayan blinks but takes it well.
Balayan jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Some bone on bone action there as Balayan checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Balayan catches Turner with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
The fight stays on the outside here - Turner looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A thudding body kick lands there by Balayan!
A decent looking cross lands there for Turner.
Balayan lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Turner is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Balayan slips a straight right by Turner.
Balayan avoids the body shot from Turner.
Balayan moves away from the strike by Turner.
Balayan feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Turner's calf.
Danga de danga de dang - Turner scores with a four punch combination!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Turner fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Balayan checks it well.
Balayan swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Balayan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Turner fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Balayan checks it well.
Balayan throws a body kick that misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Turner misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan misses with a low kick as Turner jumps back.
Turner feints a counter leg kick.
Garegin Balayan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Balayan gets caught flat footed, as Turner shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Balayan manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Turner throws a head punch that misses.
Balayan misses with the head strike.
Turner misses with a body punch.
Turner swings wildly with an uppercut but Balayan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Balayan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Balayan tries to work over Turner's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Balayan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Turner working aggressively here.
Turner misses with a punch to the body.
Balayan throws a punch but it's blocked by Turner.
Turner misses with the head strike.
Turner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Turner working aggressively here.
Balayan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Turner can't find room to land a body shot as Balayan controls the action.
Turner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Balayan.
Turner lands with a left to the head.
Turner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Turner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Turner.
Balayan lands a body punch.
A shot in the inside from Turner.
Balayan lands with a light punch inside.

Balayan breaks the clinch.
Balayan cracks Turner with a good jab.
Turner moves out of range of the body kick from Balayan.
Nice uppercut lands for Turner. That snapped Balayan's head back.
Turner stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Balayan.
Turner shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Balayan throws a jab but it's blocked by Turner.
Turner takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balayan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Turner lands a nice leg kick that just misses Balayan's sensitive parts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balayan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Balayan throws out a loose jab but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Balayan misses with a looping right.
Turner misses the jab.
Balayan misses with an uppercut. Turner saw that one coming.
Balayan misses with a hook.
Turner throws a body punch but Balayan moves out of range.
A jab from Turner does it's job there.
Balayan misses with a hook.
Turner buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Turner thows a left - swing and a miss!
Balayan takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Turner misses with a looping left.
Balayan throws a quick counter head kick but Turner was just out of range.
Turner will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Balayan lands an overhand right.
Turner throws the left hand but Balayan avoids the punch easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ben Turner will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Balayan misses with a hook. Turner ducked under it nicely.
Turner misses with a wild body shot.
Balayan lands with a nice body punch.
Balayan throws a body punch but Turner moves out of range.
Balayan throws out a loose jab but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Turner only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Balayan throws a jab but it's blocked by Turner.
It seemed like Turner was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Balayan cracks Turner with an open hand slap.
Balayan misses with an uppercut.
Turner pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Turner tries a low kick but Balayan avoids it.
Balayan was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Turner finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balayan throws a shot from downtown. Turner moves away and avoids it.
Turner scores with a shot to the body.
Turner walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Garegin Balayan is winning the standup battle so far.
A jab from Turner misses.
Balayan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balayan is looking to chop away at Turner's legs.
Turner closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Balayan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Turner.
A looping hook to the body misses from Turner. Balayan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Turner loads up on a big right hand but Balayan slips the punch.
Balayan avoids the head kick by Turner.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Turner checks a leg kick.
Turner throws a body punch but Balayan moves out of range.
Balayan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Turner.
Turner keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balayan avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Balayan tries to clinch up but Turner circles away and keeps his distance.
A slow jab from Balayan misses its intended target.
A punch lands to the side of Balayan 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Balayan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Turner.
Turner pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Turner was well out of range. Poor timing from Balayan.
Balayan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Turner connects with the punch.

Balayan has Turner up against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Turner working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Turner misses with a short punch on the inside.
Turner tries to throw a body punch but Balayan avoids it by throwing Turner back against the cage.
Turner lands a left hand.
Balayan misses with a punch to the body.
Balayan struggles to land a body shot inside as Turner controls his hands.
A short body shot lands from Turner as the two fighters clinch.
A short left from Balayan.
Turner gets through Balayan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Turner struggles to land a body shot inside as Balayan controls his hands.
Turner has a couple of punches blocked by Balayan.
Balayan can't find room to land a body shot as Turner controls the action.
Balayan stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Balayan working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Turner struggles to land a body shot inside as Balayan controls his hands.
Balayan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Balayan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Balayan throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Turners head.
Balayan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Turner's elbow.
Turner misses with a hook from the clinch.
Turner blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Balayan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Balayan softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Turner misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Balayan.
Balayan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Balayan.
Balayan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ben Turner seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Turner fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Balayan lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Turner is leaning against Balayan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Balayan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Turner works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Balayan has a couple of punches blocked by Turner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balayan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Turner tries a body shot but Balayan blocks it.
Turner blocks a body shot from Balayan.
Balayan working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Turner tries to work over Balayan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Turner misses with some punches.
Balayan blocking some punches.
Balayan tries to throw a body punch but Turner avoids it by throwing Balayan back against the cage.
Balayan throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Turner working aggressively here.
Balayan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Turner's elbow.
Balayan lands a left hand.
Turner blocks a punch to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Turner.
Balayan stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Balayan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Balayan misses with a punch to the body.
Turner blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Turner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Balayan cracks Turner with a nice body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Garegin Balayan did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A jab from Balayan does it's job there.
Turner lands with a good body shot.
Turner lands an overhand right.
Turner uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Balayan.
Nice defenses there by Turner.
Balayan misses with a straight right.
Turner moves out of range of the body kick from Balayan.
Turner misses with a looping left.
Balayan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Turner takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Balayan looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Turner blocks the body kick.
Turner throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Turner takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Turner throws out a counter right but Balayan avoids it with no problem.
Turner steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Balayan.
Balayan takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Turner misses with a lunging right hand
letting Balayan counter with a right hand.
Turner misses with a body shot
and Balayan counters with a stiff right hand.

Balayan closes the distance and pushes Turner back into the cage.
Balayan putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Turner in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Balayan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Balayan blocks an uppercut.
Balayan pushes Turner back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Balayan lands with a right to the head.
Turner swings wildly with an uppercut but Balayan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Turner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Balayan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Turner tries to throw a body punch but Balayan avoids it by throwing Turner back against the cage.
Balayan blocking some punches.
Turner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Balayan's elbow.
Balayan lands a body punch in the clinch.
Balayan lands a body punch.
Turner's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Turner is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head punch on the inside from Turner fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balayan scores with a shoulder strike.
Balayan lands a left hand.
Turner tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Balayan swings wildly with an uppercut but Turner uses good head movement to avoid it.
Balayan lands a body punch in the clinch.
Balayan lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Balayan taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
A short right from Balayan.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Balayan.
Turner tries to throw a body punch but Balayan avoids it by throwing Turner back against the cage.
Turner tries to throw a body punch but Balayan avoids it by throwing Turner back against the cage.
Balayan tries to throw a body punch but Turner avoids it by throwing Balayan back against the cage.
Balayan lands with a light punch inside.
Balayan misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Balayan scores with a hook to the body.
Balayan working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Balayan blocks an uppercut.
Balayan softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Balayan lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Turner backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balayan lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Turner misses with some punches.
Balayan lands a right hand.
Turner lands with a left to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Balayan fails to land.
Turner struggles to land a body shot inside as Balayan controls his hands.
Turner throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Balayans head.
Balayan lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Turner.
Balayan lands a left hand.
Balayan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Balayan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Balayan scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Turner lands with a short punch from the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Turner tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Balayan is working Turner over against the cage.
Balayan lands a hook that snaps the head of Turner backwards.

Turner is rocked!
Turner misses with a punch to the body.
Turner is still on wobbly legs! Can Balayan finish him?
Balayan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Balayan presses Turner against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Turner.
Turner lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good body shot from Balayan.
A shot in the inside from Balayan.
Turner takes an elbow to the temple.
Balayan unloads a knee to the mid-section. Turner lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Balayan lands with a light punch inside.
Balayan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Turner can do to turn this around?
A short right from Balayan on the inside.
Balayan blocks a body shot from Turner.
A short right from Balayan on the inside.
Balayan presses Turner against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Balayan creates some distance and fires off a vicious elbow that drops Turner! He pounces and finishes the fight with more strikes! Nice KO for Balayan.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:30 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Garegin Balayan!
Garegin Balayan retains his welterweight title!
Garegin Balayan decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.